DOJ to give some felons second chance to restore gun rights

A newly finalized Justice Department rule creates a pathway for people with criminal convictions to apply for the reinstatement of their gun ownership rights.

admin August 19, 2026 2 minutes read

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FILE – Handguns on display at the Rock Island Armory booth at the 2025 NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits held in the Georgia World Congress Center on April 26, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

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The Department of Justice finalized a rule that will allow individuals who have been banned from owning guns due to criminal convictions to apply to have their gun rights restored.

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According to The Associated Press, federal law has permitted people who had their gun rights taken away because of felony convictions to appeal to the government for the right to own guns again, but Congress since 1992 has prohibited the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives from processing applications.

How will the Justice Department’s rule about restoring gun rights for felons’ work?

Dig deeper:

Department of Justice officials told The Associated Press that the restoration will be granted on a case-by-case basis, factoring in an individual’s record and reputation to figure out whether they are a likely threat to public safety.

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The DOJ added that people who have been convicted of violent crimes, registered sex offenders, individuals living in the United States illegally and others whom officials believe are a danger to society will be denied unless it’s an “extraordinary circumstance.”

What they’re saying:

Newly confirmed Attorney General Todd Blanche initiated the plan. In a statement from Blanche obtained by the AP, he said, “The Second Amendment is not a second-class right, and the federal government should not permanently deprive Americans of a constitutional right without regard to whether they pose a danger to public safety. The attorney general said the new process will protect “public safety while giving deserving Americans a real path to restoration.”